Harness Weekly Update: North America Cup Pick Scores Big

The TwinSpires Harness Blog Weekly Update covers our successes and failures from selected features and the H2W (horses-to-watch list, now including Hoosier spin-offs).

Friday, Sept. 10

New York Sires Stakes (NYSS) finals presented a bevy of results for chalk players and fence-swingers. Here are our results from best to worst (x indicates breaking stride).

2cT: Molotov Cocktail ($10.20, $5.80, $3.90); Cool Papa Bell ($4.10, $3.00); Justice (4-5), fifth
3fT: Iteration ($5.40, $3.80, $3.00)
2fP: Gotthegreenlight ($4.10, $2.50, $2.10); Just Devine ($2.10, $2.10 OK)
2fT: Joviality ($3.50, $2.80, $2.50); xGertrude (6-1)
3fP: Test Of Faith ($2.40, $2.10, $2.10)
2cP: Forrest Blu ($6.00, $4.20)
3cT: Ambassador Hanover (2-1), fifth
3cP: xStop Sharing (73-1)

Saturday, Sept. 11

At Mohawk, most of the best horses were true to form.

In the C$1 million North America Cup, however, we were the biggest winners of the night with Desperate Man ($17.20, $6.40, $4.00). It appeared in our special Edge post about the race and we sure got our price, beat the chalk players and the public handicappers.

In the Wellwood we looked to beat, but could not, King Of The North ($3.70, $2.70, $2.30). In our threesome we did get second with Duly Resolved ($6.20, $4.10) for a $22.00 exacta. No triple, though, because Periculum (-) broke approaching the half and was eliminated.

The Goodtimes were no good for Dancinginthedark M (4-5) because the worst-case scenario where he breaks stride in another stakes was the reality. This colt’s trotting problem is now officially chronic. The second favorite won the race.

A fast start for Dabra Day (68-1) in the Peaceful Way turned into a duel and cost her at the least a better finish, as she ended watching all of her nine foes cross the finish line, led by the race favorite.

Another longshot failure for us was Game Of Shadows (88-1), who finished sixth in the Fan Hanover, won by the second choice.

H2W LIST RESULTS

The H2W results list across-the-board prices. Exactas listed include a H2W horse finishing second to a race-favorite or if the first two finishers are H2W horses (an asterisk appears when both horses are listed—a cold exacta). The note “OK” determines that prices are correct (even when a show price exceeds a place price or all prices are the same).

Please note that some results reflect horses racing after the blog posts (they appear the following week).

This week, there were 47 active horses (a 19% win hit rate and a 55% ATB [across-the-board] hit). Horses with asterisks before their names were tweets @FrankCotolo. Follow for late choices.

Winners

Waves, $17.60, $11.40, $5.20, Plainridge
Party Boy Hanover, $12.40, $6.00, $3.60, Batavia
Acefortyfourladydi, $10.00, $6.00, $3.00, Running Aces
Miss Spicy, $6.80, $4.40, $3.20, Hoosier
Sunny Crockett, $6.20, $3.20, $2.20, Philly
Keystone Apache, $6.10, $3.00, $2.10, Batavia
Vel Donna, $6.00, $3.80, $2.40, Hawthorne
DGs Elsa, $5.80, $3.60, $2.80, Scioto
Always A Panther, $2.40, $2.20, $2.40 OK, Hoosier

Seconds

Brimfield, $7.90, $4.50, Monticello
Lifeonthebeach, $7.40, $3.20 (Exacta $50.80), Philly
Luv Loreli, $7.20, $4.40, Hoosier
Midnight Mood, $5.40, $3.00, Hoosier
Bet Big On Blue, $4.70, $3.30, Vernon
Shenanigans Twain, $4.60, $4.00 (Exacta $21.80), Hoosier
KJ Chico, $4.20, $3.50, Monticello
Campus Queen, $2.40, $2.10, Northfield
Dazzling Reign, $2.20, $2.10, Philly

Thirds

Latoka, $15.40, Freehold
Bella Cavalla, $9.20, Hoosier
R Desireable Lady, $6.20, Hoosier
Ks Foxy Lady, $4.60, Northfield
Mach Up A, $4.20, Plainridge
JKs Pilot, $3.40, Hoosier
Foolish Terror, $3.00, Northfield
Northoftheborder, $2.40, Vernon

NEWS & NOTES

Lawless Shadow is sidelined for the rest of the season due to a fracture. The glamour-boy pacer who surprised most (not our readers) with exceptional success in the division owns a summary of 9-6-2 from 19 starts with $878,130 in earnings. Dr. Ian Moore, the trainer and co-owner of the son of Shadow Play, reported that the injury was found on the same foot that showed an abscess that prompted a scratch from the North America Cup eliminations. The news means our top pick for the Little Brown Jug, as well as other stakes, changes.

This year, TwinSpires harness blog adds extra coverage for the Little Brown Jug’s handicapping/betting with spin-off articles at TwinSpires Edge. These extras will concentrate on betting options for The Jugette (filly pacers) and the main event, The Little Brown Jug (colt pacers). When another stakes event at the meeting offers a strong wagering possibility, that event will supplement the texts. The usual weekly preview and Update will be available, as usual. Look for “Jug”-week races there, too.

Here’s the latest countdown/comparison for the Little Brown Jug contenders. Our top five in the first installment follows fair publicity director Jay Wolf’s top five.

1. Perfect Sting / Whichwaytothebeach
2. Whichwaytothebeach / Southwind Gendry
3. Lous Pearlman / Perfect Sting
4. Rockyroad Hanover / Mysweetboymax
5. Town Gossip / Rockyroad Hanover

Extraordinary Extras

Indulge in our columns, Alternative Actions and Bettors Banquet, at Harness Racing Update.